1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a support fixture for musical instruments. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved support mechanism incorporating a spin-lock type mechanism which permits easy assembly while providing a sturdy and durable arrangement.
2. Description of Related Art
Particularly for instrument stands used by school aged children, musical instrument equipment must be simple in form, easy to assembly, and must hold the instrument firmly in place. Instruments are assembled and disassembled several times weekly (sometimes several times daily), thus the instrument stand must be dependable and capable of withstanding use through countless cycles of assembly and disassembly.
Various arrangements are known for supporting small instruments, i.e. percussion, keyboards, etc., such that their playing surfaces can be easily reached by the performer. In particular, bracket arrangements for tom-toms, having several degrees of freedom, are useful particularly in multiple drum sets. Such arrangements are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,535,976, 4,543,446 and 4,796,508. These arrangement include a ball clamped into a socket, with a rod attached to and projecting from the ball to support a drum. Such devices offer both vertical and rotational freedom of movement.
Prior to the present invention, many percussion instruments were attached to stands by a threaded screw. FIG. 1, which structure will be discussed in greater detail below, illustrates this prior art arrangement. With this type of stand children have to balance the instrument onto a threaded screw and twist either the instrument or the stand to complete the assembly. Often, the result is an incomplete assembly; the instruments loose their balance and fall, the threads do not align and cross thread; the instruments are inadequately tightened and wobble, and/or the instruments are spun propeller-style with such force that the screws break. The need therefore exists for a musical instrument stand, particularly for use by young children, which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.